Venezuelan dissent unveils tape involving Mario Silva and Cuban G2

Dissenter Ismael García commented that a "very serious situation" is mirrored in the talk

GABRIELA TURZI VEGAS| EL UNIVERSAL

Monday May 20, 2013 12:48 PM

Venezuelan opposition congressman Ismael García reported on Monday during a press conference along with other members of the Unified Democratic Panel on a taped conversation between Mario Silva, a hardcore government supporter and anchorman of "La Hojilla" a TV show aired on state-run TV channel VTV, and Aramis Palacios, a lieutenant colonel of Cuban G2.

He explained that a "very serious situation" was mirrored in the talk. The material, García said, "would be handed over to Raúl Castro, he, who leads and directs the policy of this country."

Based on the tape, Silva said: "Speaking of devaluation, the problem is the flight of capital in some enterprises owned by (Congress Speaker) Diosdado Cabello."

The Congress Speaker might "corrupt, together with the '85 generation" the army."

Silva commented that President Nicolás Maduro and his partner Cilia Flores skipped a meeting with Defense Minister Diego Molero, who seemingly tried to talk about a "serious internal situation" inside the army caused by rumors going around.

Furthermore, he said that the practice of "1 per 10" ahead of the presidential election of April 14 "did not work."

"Jorge Rodríguez (the leader of President Nicolás Maduro's campaign team and Caracas mayor) called to caution me against what I could say, because they could kick the campaign down in a couple of days," he added.

About the election: "People make mistakes"

Silva said that once Fidel Castro lamented that late President Hugo Chávez did not finish elections off. "We put ourselves the Sword of Damocles when saying that the CNE (National Electoral Council) is impregnable. How could I say then that it was hacked?"

"Because people make mistakes and I fully agree with it. Elections here as they stand right now, they can blow us and can bring our revolution down."

Anticipated appointment of Vice-President Jorge Arreaza

Silva pointed out that José Vicente Rangel, a government supporter who held several incumbencies under the government of President Chávez, anticipated before Chávez's death that Jorge Arreaza would be the next Venezuelan Vice-President; therefore, "there is the need to speak with him to facilitate some building contracts."

Blame it on Cabello

In Silva's words, some ministers "do not know what to do (...) and "they are likely stealing (...) as they think that this is falling down to pieces." "Should Maduro know what he has to do, people would be the first ones to jump and support him."

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Yamir Tovar (22) and Luis Fabián (21) were subjected by members of a ‘colectivo' (an armed pro-government gang) in the west Caracas neighborhood of Catia on February 20. Their bodies were found tied up and gagged; they were killed by headshots in execution style.